Process for producing radiator support

Abstract

A process for producing a radiator support, disposed between a radiator and a vehicle-side installation member, includes the steps of molding a rubber-elastic member, disposing the resulting rubber-elastic member in a mold, and completing a radiator support by injecting a resinous material into the mold. In the rubber-elastic member molding step, a rubber-elastic member is molded to include a rubber flange which has a top surface and a bottom surface. In the radiator support completing step, a rigid inner tube member and a rigid outer tube member are molded integrally with the rubber-elastic member, wherein the rigid outer tube member is molded so as to include a flange which has a top surface superimposed on the bottom surface of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member, a bottom surface, and a cut-off. The cut-off downwardly exposes a portion of the bottom surface of the rubber flange of the rubber elastic-member in a completed radiator support. In the radiator support completing step, the downwardly-exposed portion of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member is held by the mold. Hence, it is possible to effectively inhibit the rubber-elastic member from being put out of position in the mold, and from being deformed by the injection pressure of the resinous material.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for producing a radiator support, disposed between a radiator and a vehicle-side installation member, the process comprising the steps of: molding a rubber-elastic member independently in advance, thereby molding the rubber-elastic member so as to be substantially tube-shaped and to include an inner peripheral portion, an outer peripheral portion, opposite ends, and a rubber flange, the rubber flange being disposed at one of the opposite ends, and the rubber flange having a top surface and a bottom surface;   disposing the rubber-elastic member in a mold so that a bottom portion of the flange of the rubber-elastic member is held by a grip portion of the mold; and   completing a radiator support by injecting a resinous material into the mold and around the grip portion so as to form a cut-off, thereby molding a rigid inner tube member and a rigid outer tube member integrally with the rubber-elastic member, the rigid inner tube member being molded so as to include an inner peripheral portion fixed to the inner peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, the rigid outer tube member being molded so as to include an outer peripheral portion, opposite ends, and a flange, the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member being fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, the flange of the rigid outer tube member being molded so as to be disposed at one of the opposite ends of the rigid outer tube member, to extend radially outward, to have a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface of the flange of the rigid outer tube member being superimposed on the bottom surface of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member, and the flange of the rigid outer tube member being molded so as to form said cut-off, the cut-off being located on the flange of the rigid outer tube member so as to expose a portion of the bottom surface of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member to form the radiator support.   
     
     
       2. The process according to claim 1, wherein, in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the cut-offs are molded/partially at appropriate positions in the flange of the rigid outer tube member. 
     
     
       3. The process according to claim 2, wherein, in said radiator support completing step, the cut-offs are molded so as to be spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the flange of the rigid outer tube member in a completed radiator support. 
     
     
       4. The process according to claim 1, wherein, in said radiator support completing step, the cut-off is formed as a rectangle in a planar configuration in the flange of the rigid outer tube member. 
     
     
       5. The process according to claim 1, wherein, in said radiator support completing step, the cut-off is formed to have a radial depth which is short of an outer peripheral end of the flange of the rigid outer tube member. 
     
     
       6. The process according to claim 1, wherein, in said radiator support completing step, the rubber-elastic member is held at the downwardly-exposed portion by a grip which the mold is provided with, and which works to mold the cut-off in the flange of the rigid outer tube member in a completed radiator support. 
     
     
       7. The process according to claim 6, wherein, in said radiator support completing step, the cut-off is molded by the grip which has an identical configuration with that of the cut-off. 
     
     
       8. The process according to claim 1, wherein, in said radiator support completing step, the rigid outer tube member is molded so as to have a cut-off in the flange, the cut-off exposing the bottom surface of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member entirely at an outer peripheral end all around a circumferential direction of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member in a completed radiator support. 
     
     
       9. The process according to claim 1, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, the rubber-elastic member is molded to include a convexity which is formed on the inner peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, and which extends inward; and   in said radiator support completing step, the rigid inner tube member is molded to include a radial through concavity which is formed through the inner peripheral portion of the rigid inner tube member in a radial direction thereof, into which the convexity of the rubber-elastic member is fitted, and from which the convexity of the rubber-elastic member is projected inward by a predetermined length.   
     
     
       10. The process according to claim 9, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the convexities are formed on the inner peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member; and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the radial through concavities are formed through the inner peripheral portion of the rigid inner tube member.   
     
     
       11. The process according to claim 10, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the convexities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the inner peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member; and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the radial through concavities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the inner peripheral portion of the rigid inner tube member.   
     
     
       12. The process according to claim 1, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, the rubber-elastic member is molded to include a convexity which is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, and which extends outward; and   in said radiator support completing step, the rigid outer tube member is molded to include a radial through concavity which is formed through the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member in a radial direction thereof, into which the convexity of the rubber-elastic member is fitted, and from which the convexity of the rubber-elastic member is projected outward by a predetermined length.   
     
     
       13. The process according to claim 12, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the convexities are formed on the outer peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member; and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the radial through concavities are formed through the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member.   
     
     
       14. The process according to claim 13, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the convexities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member; and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the radial through concavities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member.   
     
     
       15. The process according to claim 1, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, the rubber-elastic member is molded to include a first convexity which is formed on the inner peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, and which extends inward, and a second convexity which is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, and which extends outward; and   in said radiator support completing step, the rigid inner tube member is molded to include a first radial through concavity which is formed through the inner peripheral portion of the rigid inner tube member, in a radial direction thereof, into which the first convexity of the rubber-elastic member is fitted, and from which the first convexity of the rubber-elastic member is projected inward by a predetermined length, and the rigid outer tube member is molded to include a second radial through concavity which is formed through the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member in a radial direction thereof, into which the second convexity of the rubber-elastic member is fitted, and from which the second convexity of the rubber-elastic member is projected outward by a predetermined length.   
     
     
       16. The process according to claim 15, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the first convexities are formed on the inner peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, and a plurality of the second convexities are formed on the outer peripheral portion thereof; and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the first radial through concavities are formed through the inner peripheral portion of the rigid inner tube member, and a plurality of the second radial through concavities are formed through the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member.   
     
     
       17. The process according to claim 16, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the first convexities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the inner peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, and a plurality of the second convexities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion thereof; and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the first radial through concavities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the inner peripheral portion of the rigid inner tube member, and a plurality of the second radial through concavities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member.   
     
     
       18. The process according to claim 1, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, the rubber-elastic member is molded to include a convexity which is formed on the bottom surface of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member, and which extends downward; and   in said radiator support completing step, the rigid outer tube member is molded to include an axial through concavity which is formed through the flange of the rigid outer tube member in an axial direction thereof, into which the convexity of the rubber-elastic member is fitted, and from which the convexity of the rubber-elastic member is projected downward by a predetermined length.   
     
     
       19. The process according to claim 18, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the convexities are formed on the bottom surface of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member; and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the axial through concavities are formed through the flange of the rigid outer tube member.   
     
     
       20. The process according to claim 19, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the convexities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member; and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the axial through concavities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the flange of the rigid outer tube member.   
     
     
       21. The process according to claim 1, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, the rubber-elastic member is molded to include a first convexity which is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, and which extends outward, and a second convexity which is formed on the bottom surface of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member, and which extends downward; and   in said radiator support completing step, the rigid outer tube member is molded to include a radial through concavity which is formed through the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member, in a radial direction thereof, into which the first convexity of the rubber-elastic member is fitted, and from which the first convexity of the rubber-elastic member is projected outward by a predetermined length, and an axial through concavity which is formed through the flange of the rigid outer tube member in a radial direction thereof, into which the second convexity of the rubber-elastic member is fitted, and from which the second convexity of the rubber-elastic member is projected downward by a predetermined length.   
     
     
       22. The process according to claim 21, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the first convexities are formed on the outer peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, and a plurality of the second convexities are formed on the bottom surface of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member, and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the radial through concavities are formed through the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member, and a plurality of the axial through concavities are formed through the flange of the rigid outer tube member.   
     
     
       23. The process according to claim 22, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, a plurality of the first convexities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the rubber-elastic member, and a plurality of the second convexities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the rubber flange of the rubber-elastic member, and   in said radiator support completing step, a plurality of the radial through concavities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral portion of the rigid outer tube member, and a plurality of the axial through concavities are spaced at equal intervals in a circumferential direction of the flange of the rigid outer tube member.   
     
     
       24. The process according to claim 21, wherein: in said rubber-elastic member molding step, the second convexity is formed continuously from the first convexity; and   in said radiator support completing step, the axial through concavity is formed continuously from the radial through concavity.